Fresh Pepper

Shombo

Long red pepper; cayenne-type pepper

Capsicum annuum (market cultivar varies)

Shombo is a long Nigerian red pepper, often compared with cayenne-type pepper, used for red-chilli flavour and variable heat in pepper bases.

Editorially reviewed
Long green cayenne-type peppers on a plant, illustrative of shombo shape
Cayenne-type long pepper, illustrative of shombo / H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0

Ingredient record

Names & identity

Names can vary by language, market and region. Only reviewed names are displayed here.

Nigerian/common nameShombo
English/common nameLong red pepper; cayenne-type pepper
Botanical nameCapsicum annuum (market cultivar varies)

What is Shombo?

Shombo is a Nigerian market and kitchen name for a long, slim pepper commonly compared with cayenne-type peppers. It generally gives a sharper red-chilli character than tatashe, but heat and cultivar identity vary by market supply.

Flavour & identification

What does it taste like?

Red-pepper flavour with medium to hot heat, depending on the fruit.

What does it look like?

Long and narrow with a pointed end; green when unripe and red when ripe. Shape and size vary by cultivar and supply.

Using Shombo in Nigerian cooking

How do you prepare it?

Remove the stalk, test the heat and blend, roast or chop. Do not match a substitute only by pepper count.

Buying, storing & substituting

Possible substitutes

A fresh long red chilli or cayenne-type pepper is a functional substitute; adjust quantity after testing heat.

Sources & further reading

  1. www.ajol.info
  2. agris.fao.org

Reviewed by Nigerian Spices editorial desk, 22 September 2026.

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GuideNigerian Pepper Names in English: Tatashe, Shombo, Ata Rodo and Cameroon Pepper

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